Electric conductor system



pril 19, 1960 H. Y. MAGEOCH 2,933,567 ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR SYSTEM OriginalFiled Nov. 4, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HBRRY YHLE Mast-0c.

April 19, 1960 H. Y. MAGEOCH ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR SYSTEM Original FiledNov. 4, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR YALE Mheeocu BY HTTOEPUG2,933,567 ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR SYSTEM Harry Yale Mageoch, Havertown,

Service Works, Delta-Star Porter Company (Delaware),

Pa., assignor to Electric Electric Division, H. K. a corporation ofDelaware Continuation of application Serial No. 318,586, November 4,1952. This application October 17, 1957, Serial No. 690,857

6 Claims. (Cl. 191-40) This invention relates generally to electricpower conductor systems and is more particularly concerned with a systemfor conducting electric power to a mobile unit, the instant applicationbeing a continuation of copending application Serial No. 318, 586, filedNovember 4, 1952, now abandoned.

In recent years there has been a gradual and persistent tendency foralternating electric current to supplant direct electric current as themore common power utilized by mobile units, such as traveling cranes.There has been at the same time a tendency for electric power conductorsystems that are particularly suited for alternating currents tosupplant the steel conductor systems commonly in use and particularlysuited for direct currents, the principal reason being that steelconductor systems are subject to the disadvantage that overallimpedance, when an alternating current is carried, is very high dueprincipally to the magnetic characteristics of steel.

One type of electric power conductor system which is particularly suitedfor alternating currents is a conductor system the component parts ofwhich are made of any nonmagnetic current conducting material, typicalof which is aluminum, a metal which, for this purpose, possesses manyinherent advantages when compared to steel. For example, the electricalconductivity of aluminum is high; the metal is nonmagnetic, thus overallimpedance is low when an alternating current is carried; it is light,thus it may be easily and economically handled; complex shapes may bemade by extrusion, and the metal is easily machined, which factorsafford low manufacturing costs; and, the metal has good corrosionresistance, thus it is simple and easy to maintain.

In spite of the many inherent advantages which an aluminum electricpower conductor system afiords over a steel system, for carryingalternating currents, known aluminum systems have not proved to beentirely satisfactory because, first, their design and constructionresult in high installation costs and, second, their service record withrespect to maintenance required has been very poor. Consequently, it isa principal object of this invention to provide for a mobile unit ahighly efficient, high capacity electric power conductor system which,while designed primarily for alternating currents, may also beadvantageously employed for direct current.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a system theessential parts of which are made of a nonmagnetic metal.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such a system withhighly eflicient and novel means providing for joining the sections ofthe system both electrically and mechanically and providing for thesupport and expansion of the system.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a system withcomponent parts of such design and relative arrangement as toautomatically insure effective alinement thereof with an unusual degreeof accuracy.

- And a still further object of this invention is to include in such asystem component parts which are easily handled at all points, whichreduce the problems of assembly in the field, as well as the inclusionof additional parts,

and which facilitate replacement thereof, as maintenance requirementsmay dictate, in the system after it has been installed, all withoutnecessitating the use of any specia ly designed or complicated tools orequipment.

Other objects of the present invention will be apparent rom thefollowingdescription, it being understood that the present inventionconsists substantially in the com bination, construction, location andrelative arrangement of parts, as described in detail hereinafter, asshown in the accompanying drawings and as finally pointed out theappended claims. v. In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing part of a three. phase electricpower conductor system which embodies the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation through a hanger assembly,being taken generally on line 2-4 of:

Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the hanger assembly shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing alined conductor sections joinedtogether by a splice and bond assembly.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation through a splice and bond assembly, orthrough a hanger assembly, being taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4 or Figure10 and showing the condition of the parts before the locking screws aretightened.

Figure 6 is similar to Figure 5 but shows the condition of the partsafter the locking screws are tightened Figure 7 is an enlarged sectionalelevation similarjto Figure 5, but omitting any showing of the lockingscrew Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a feeder con' j nection orcurrent tap assembly.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a heavy duty hanger,

assembly for use at a point of anchorage.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of another hanger assembly for use at apoint of anchorage; and Figure 11 is a perspective view of an expansionjoint assembly.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1 thereof, it willbe observed that the electric power conductor system of the presentinvention essentially com-. prises a series of conductor rails 10carried by means. including the hangers 11 which depend from asupporting structure indicated by the numeral 12, and which present theconductor rails 10 for engagementby the current collector elements .13of a mobile unit indicated by the numeral 14. "f

The conductor rails 10 each comprise an elongated member made ofnonmagnetic metal alloy, preferably an aluminum alloy, having a uniformtransverse cross section. Each rail 10 is provided with a head part 15and an integral additional part v16 depending therefrom. The rail head15 is provided with a broad longitudinally extending top surface, and,in transverse cross section, this broad top surface of the rail head 15includes'a horizontal surface portion 17flanked by surface portions,18-18 which slope downwardly and outwardly there from. v

To provide for engagement with the current collectorelements 13 of themobile unit 14, the integral additional.

part 16 depending from the rail head 15 is provided with oppositedirections from the center of the rail 10, beingrail head and beingdisposed at a right angle to one another.

answer i To provide for engagement of an element under the rail head 15,the opposite side portions thereof are undercut for the full length ofthe rail, and, in transverse cross section, the surfaces presented bythese undercuts each include a surface portion 21 parallel to theopposed surface portion 18 of the top surface of the rail head 15, avertical surface portion 22, and a surface portion 23 generally parallelto the opposed surface portion 19 of additional part 16 depending fromthe rail head 15. The rail head 15 is thus provided with undercutopposite side portions 24-24 which respectively overhangs pair ofcollector elements engaging legs 25-25 of the additional part 16, theportion 24 and the leg 25 on each side of the rail being disposed inoutwardly diverging relation to one another. The lower edges of the legs25-25 serve as drip edges for protecting the downwardly presentingsurface comprising the surface portions 19-20-19 from rain water, etc.When compared to conductor rails made of steel, those of the presentinvention are small for a given electric current capacity, thusaffording the advant'age that they may be spaced closely together, afeature which makes for a compact installationwhich may be enclosed,when necessary, at a low cost.

For carrying the conductor rails 10, means are provided including thehanger assembly 11 which comprises an insulator of suitable materialarranged for securement to a supporting structure and associated with ahanger section or headpiece for supportingly engaging the conductorrail. The insulator is of conventional construction, being an elongatedmember 26having an upper end portion conventionally secured to thesupporting structure 12, as byabolt27. -m

The head piece is an elongated main body member 28 made ofextrudedaluminum alloy stock. This extruded head-piece isprovided with abroad longitudinally extending base Wall 29 and 'a pair of broadlongitudinally extending spaced parallel walls 30-39 terminating inopposed inwardly projecting elements 31-31, being 0- shaped intransverse cross section. The head piece 28 is normally disposed withthe base wall portion 29 extending horizontally and the walls 30-30depending therefrom, the walls 30-30 being positioned on the oppositesides of the rail head 15. The elements 31-31 respectively engage underthe opposite side portions 24-24 of the rail head 15 and thus provides aseat for the rail head 15, the additional rail part 16 of the rail 11)being projected downwardly between the elements 31-31. It will beobserved that the walls 30-39 of the head piece 28 g are disposedrespectively in slightly spaced relation to the proximate sides of therail head 15, that each element '31 is disposed in slightly spacedrelation to'the opposed vertical surface portion'ZZ of the out underrail head 15 and also to the proximate leg 25 of the additional railpart 16, as indicated in Figure 7. It should be apparent, there fore,that the rail 10 is receivedby the head piece 28 for relative axialsliding movement. In addition, the features just mentioned provideagainst binding of the parts and further provide for rnisalinement ofthe rail 10 and the headpiece 28 by allowing for relative lateral andvertical shifting movement. i

Referring particularly to Figure 10, it will be observed tha't'the meansfor carrying the conductor rails '10 may include a hanger assembly 33which'also serves as a rail anchor. The hanger assembly 33 comprises aninsulator 34 and a head piece '35. The former may be the same in everyrespect to'the insulator 26 of the hanger 11, while the head piece 35 ismade of a length of the same extruded stock as the head piece 28 of thehanger :1, being secured to the insulator 34 by a countersunk head screw(not shown).

v For securing the rail 10 in the anchoring head piece 35 to preventrelative axial movement therebetween, the

hanger 33 is provided with means operable for applying pressure upon therail head 15 comprising an intermediate plate 36 and a pair'of lockingscrews 37-37. The plate 36 is in the form of an elongated member made ofa spring aluminum alloy, the same being disposed in underlying relationto the base wall portion of the head piece 35 and extending transverselythereof for confinement between the side-wall portions thereof.Referring particu larly to Figure 5, it will be observed that the plate36 is transversely arched and'when properly placed in position sooverlies the rail head 15 that only the extreme side edges thereof beardirectly 'onthe rail head 15. The screws 37-37, also made of an aluminumalloy, are received by tapped openings in the base wall portion 29 andproject therethrough for engagement with the spring plate 36. When thescrews 37-37 are tightened, the condition of the parts becomes'as shownin Figure 6, where the under surface of the; opposite side portions ofthe plate 36 are shown more or less fully engaged with the top surfaceportions 18-18 of the rail head 15. The plate 36 thusacts in the natureof a spring washer to secure the parts together against any tendency ofthe same to creep relatively to each other due to possible relaxation ofone or more of the assembled parts in use 1 thereof. The rail head 15serves as a stop for the plate 36, preventing undue deflection due topressure from the screws 37-37. The p1ate36, as stated above, isdisposed in underlying relation to the base wall portion 29 of the headpiece 35,, and is, therefore, protected thereby from moisture, etc. Thisprotection may be increased by making the head piece 35 slightly longerthanthe plate 36, in which case the opposite end portions of the headpiece 35 will respectively overhang the opposite end por- I tions of theplate 36. 7

Referring particularly to Figure 9, the means for carrying the conductorrails 10 may also include a hanger assembly 38 which is similar to thehanger assembly 33 except that it utilizes a pair of insulators 34-34and a set of three screws 37. Obviously, therefore, the hanger 38 issuited for use as a heavy duty rail anchor.

For charging the conductor rails 10 withelectric power, each of them maybe provided with a feeder connection assembly 39 that comprises a mainbody member 40 which is a section of the same extruded stock from whichthe head piece 28 of the hanger 11 is made and an electrical bondingplate 41 which is a section of the same plate stock from which thespring plate 36 of the hanger 33 is made. In order to secure therailltland the main dition to the plate 41, a set of four screws 37.- Itwillbe understood, of course, that the main body member 40, the bondplate 41 and the set of four screws 37 are assembled on the rail 10generally'as hereinbefore described with regard to the correspondingparts of the hanger .33. However, it should be noted that the screws 37are disposed at one end .of the main body member 40 in order to make theother end available for mounting a pair of conventional aluminum alloyor other suitable (e.g. copper) terminal fittings 42-42 for the cables43-43, the base element 44 0f each fitting 42 being secured to the mainbody member 40' by a pair of bolts 45-45 which project therethrough andthread into the base wall portion of the main body member 40. It shouldbe noted further that the opposite edges of bond plate 41, when thelatter is pressed into electrical contact with the rail 10 by the screws37, as shown in Figure '8, wipe across the top surface portions 18-18 ofthe rail head 15 and so act to free the contacting surfaces from suchobjectionable foreign matter as might interpose resistance to thepassage of current freely to the rail.

The rails lo may be very long, and, in this event provision must be madefor expansion and contraction thereto Figure 11, it will be observedthat there .is provided for the mentioned purpose an expansion jointassembly 46 which comprises an assembly 47 that is identical to thefeeder assembly 39 and an additional assembly 48 that is similar to thefeeder assembly 39, being suitably modified to accommodate an insulator34 disposed between the screws 37 and the terminal fittings 42-42. Theassemblies 47 and 48 are mounted on the proximate end portions of a pairof adjoining rail sections, the end of the assembly 48 that carries thefittings 42-42 being positioned in longitudinal continuation of the railsection to which it is secured and in overlapping relation to theproximate end portion of the adjoining rail section, and the assembly 47being positioned on the aforementioned adjoining rail section in spacedrelation to the assembly 48. A pair of flexible cables 49-49 join theterminal fittings 42-42 of the assembly 47 respectively with theterminal fittings 42-42 of the assembly 48. It will be understood thatthe end of the assembly 48 that carries the terminal fittings 42-42, andthe underlying end portion of the rail section to which the assembly 47is secured are slidably engaged for relative axial shifting movement ofthe rail sections for accommodating expansion or contraction thereof,and that the rail may be supported at the expansion joint assemblythrough the medium of the insulator 34, in which event the expansionjoint assembly 46 also acts as a rail anchor for one of the railsections. If desired, the expansion joint assembly may comprise, insteadof an assembly 47 and an assembly 48, a pair of assemblies 47 or a pairof assemblies 48.

When the rails 10 are very long, provision must be made for mechanicallysplicing and electrically bonding adjoining rail sections. Referringparticularly to Figure 4, it will be observed that there is provided forthe purpose mentioned a splice and bond assembly 50 which comprises amain body member 51 that is a section of the same extruded stock fromwhich the head piece 28 or the hanger 11 is made and a bond plate 52which in a section of the same plate stock from which the plate 36 ofthe hanger 33 is made. In order to secure the adjoining rail sectionsand the main body member 51 against relative axial movement, the spliceand bond assembly it? is provided with means operable for applyingpressure upon the rail head comprising, in addition to the plate 52, aset of screws 37. It will be understood, of course, that the main bodymember 51, the bond plate 52 and the set of screws 37 are assembled onthe rail 10 in bridging relation to the break between the proximate endportions of the adjoining rail sections. The main body member 51 and thebond plate 52 are each continuous members respectively directly incontact with side areas of the top surfaces and of the under surfaces ofthe rail heads 15-15 of adjoining rail sections. Consequently, thesplice and bond assembly 50 provides a very effective means formechanical connection and alinement of the adjoining rail sections andat the same time provides an efficient connection therebetween forconducting electric power, in fact, even more efficient than the railitself. In this connection, it will be understood that wherever theintermediate spring plate is empioyed as a bonding element between therail or rails and the head-piece associated therewith, the oppositeedges of the intermediate plate wipe across and make intimate contactwith the opposed top surface portions 18-18 of the rail to insure goodelectrical contact between the assembled parts.

In operation, the utilization of the devices hereinbefore described foroperatively mounting the conductor rails 10 will depend upon suchfactors, as, for example, the character of the supporting structure, thelength of the conductor rails 10, and the range of temperatures to whichthe system is to be subjected. Consequently, a particular system mayrequire the use of all or less than all of these devices for mountingthe conductor rails in a suitable manner. I Y w It will be observed thatnumerous parts of the various devices hereinabove described arefabricated from the same basic stock. For example, the head pieces ofthe hangers ll, 33 and 38, the main body members of the feederconnection assembly 39, the expansion joint assembly 46 and the spliceand bond assembly 50 are each fabricated from the same extruded stock.Furthermore, the intermediate spring plates employed in connection withthe hangers 33 and 38, the feeder connection assembly 39, the expansionjoint assembly 46 and the splice and bond assembly 50 are eachfabricated from the same spring aluminum alloy plate stock. Each ofthese basic stock sections, in addition to that from which the rails it)are made, may be extruded from a die, a method of production which isexceedingly convenient, accurate and cheap.

Due to the accuracy with which the basic stock sections are formed andthe clamping action of the means hereinabove described for securing therail sections together, etc., the latter may be alined with a degree ofaccuracy usually attained only by machining the component parts of adevice before assembly.

The hanger 11 is operatively associated with the rail 19 by merelycausing it to engage the rail head 15 and axially adjusting the hanger11 and rail 10 as desired. The other devices described hereinabove foroperatively mounting the rail 10 are operatively associated with therail 10 by causing them to engage the rail head 10, axially adjustingthem relative to the rail 10 as desired, and by then merely tighteningthe screws 37. It should be obvious therefore, that the conductor systemof the present invention is designed with an eye to the reduction offield assembly problems.

- In addition to the advantages already noted which are afforded by theuse of aluminum or other extrudable nonmagnetic metal alloy, as comparedto steel, it should be noted that the extruded metal conductor system ofthe present invention, due to its comparatively light weight, permitsthe use of insulators and other supporting structural elements that aresmaller and cheaper than would be otherwise required. Such a system alsosaves the need for booster conductors and will operate under conditionswhich are unfavorable to steel or copper. Furthermore, such a system canbe used advantageously where space is at a premium; where the sys tem isused infrequently; to replace old systems using steel, especially toavoid the use of copper boosters or to increase current carryingcapacity; to eliminate corrosion problems; and to prolong the life ofthe rail engaging shoes of collector elements.

It will be understood that the construction of the present invention, asherein illustrated and described, is susceptible of various changes andmodifications which may be made from time to time without departing fromthe general principles or real spirit of the present invention, and itis accordingly intended to claim the same broadly, as well asspecifically, as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising alongitudinally extending conductor rail having a main body portion ofinverted V shape in transverse cross section to provide a pair ofdownwardly diverging side wall parts and a head portion integral withand extending transversely across the top ridge of said body portion toprovide the latter with a pair of opposite projecting wing parts, anelongated rail-securing member of C-shape in transverse cross-sectionextending parallel to said rail including a base wall disposed insuperposed spaced relation to said rail head and a pair of opposite sidewalls embracing therebetween said rail head, the bottom edges of saidrail-head-embracing side walls being inwardly and upwardly turned toprovide hook-like portions respectively underlying in face to faceengagement with the opposite wing parts of the rail head assay memberextending parallel to said rail and interposed between the rail head andthe overlying base wall of said rail-securing member, said plate memberbeing a width approximately equal to that of the rail head and beingfurthertransversely arched to provide a pair of longitudinally extendingopposite side portions down wardly inclined relatively to its centralportion. the longitudinally extending marginal edge portions of saidplate member being respectively seated upon the opposite wing parts ofthe rail head, said arched plate member having an inherent bias tendingto urge the central portion thereof to normally assume a position raisedabove the rail head, and means operatively interposed between saidrail-securing member and said plate member for pressing the centralportion of the plate member toward said rail head against the, inherentbias of the plate member-to securely clamptogether the rail and itssecuring member withth'e, opposite. side portions of the plate memberrespectively in substantial flat-wise engagement with the wing parts ofthe rail head.

2. In apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the oppositely extendingwing parts and the downwardly diverging side wall parts of the rail headconjointly provide longitudinally extending grooves'whieh presentoutwardly from opposite sides respectively of the rail head, and whereinthe said hook-like portions of the rail-securing member are respectivelynested in said grooves.

3. In apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the oppositelyextendingwing parts of the rail head are respectively downwardly inclined fromopposite sides of the central portion of the rail head and arerespectively disposed in spaced relation to the downwardly divergingside wall parts of the rail head.

is insist as defined in clairn'l wherein the transversely arched'platemember includes a substantiallyfiat central portion and a pair ofsubstantially flat oppositely extending side .portions'respectiveiydownwardly inclined relatively to the plane of the central portion'inoverlying relation to the oppositely projecting wing parts of the railhead. 7

5. In apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means operativeagainst the bias of the plate member to clamp the rail and its securingmember together comprises axially adjustable screw gelements projectingthrough the base wall of said rail-securing member and bearing againstthe central portion of the plate member.

6. In apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a pair of said railsextending in longitudinal alinement are clamped within a single one ofsaid securing members bridging the proximate ends of said rails.

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